


a kindness you can't afford

by thingsthatgetstuckindrawers



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/F, Long Live Feedback Comment Project, M/M, Pre-Sakura/Karin, Sasuke Is Bad At Feelings but he's getting better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:42:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25949026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thingsthatgetstuckindrawers/pseuds/thingsthatgetstuckindrawers
Summary: "He’s too nice for someone with so much pull—maybe she can look pathetic in front of their campsite for a bit and see if he can get them residence somewhere that isn’t a prison or a slightly larger tent."-After the war, Naruto tells Karin she's an Uzumaki. She has no clue what he's talking about, but it's pretty convenient to go along with it.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Karin, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 18
Kudos: 111





	a kindness you can't afford

**Author's Note:**

> this is a plot bunny i had bouncing around my head for AGES that has manifested as this quick oneshot 
> 
> mainly because karin is never told during naruto that she's an uzumaki and kabuto tells sasuke she is one and even when she meets naruto his last name meets nothing to her apparently? 
> 
> anyway post-war karin finds out she's an uzumaki but everything's GAY
> 
> title from hozier's "it will come back" because of course it is

“You’re an Uzumaki.”

Karin is in the strange, in-between state of not knowing if she’s a prisoner or not. Konoha is in a the post-war frenzy of trying to do a thousand equally important tasks at once. She’s not a high priority, which she gets, but she has no clue what her political status is. She’s been squatting in a little campsite just outside the walls with Suigetsu and Juugo, going into Konoha to buy food and try and figure out from local gossip exactly what the hell is going on.

Naruto is the most in-demand person in the village, from the sound of it. She doesn’t expect him to suddenly be walking alongside her as she exits the western gate.

She also doesn’t expect him to hit her with that bizarre claim.

“Am I?”

“Kabuto told people! You and Nagato—oh, um, Pain, y’know?”

Karin stops in her tracks.

“And how did he know?” She was from Kusa, and she knows her mother wasn’t, but she has no clue beyond that.

“I don’t know? The red hair makes it obvious, I guess.”

Her gaze travels to his unruly blonde hair and she raises a single eyebrow.

“Ok, so I’m an exception!” Naruto is grinning ruefully. Karin doesn’t know what to think. “But it’s why you can do that thing with the biting and the chakra. Uzumaki’s all have crazy chakra, and most of ‘em had the same red hair. My mom had it! Soooo, we’re cousins, basically.”

“Are there any others in Konoha?”

“Not that I can find,” he murmurs, suddenly sheepish.

No wonder he’s so excited. He doesn’t have any other family.

He’s the beloved hero of the war. The “boy of miracles,” according to the women crowding the marketplace stalls. Every Kage visits him before leaving Konoha. Whether or not they’re related, him thinking they’re related could be useful.

“Okay, come on then.” He’s too nice for someone with so much pull—maybe she can look pathetic in front of their campsite for a bit and see if he can get them residence somewhere that isn’t a prison or a slightly larger tent.

When he visits again, a couple days later, he tells them he’s figured out their living situation. They end up in nice little house near the walls on Konoha’s dime. He tells them the Hokage’s office is looking into what’s going on with them, but they won’t be imprisoned.

Karin figures she can let him believe they’re cousins a little longer.

* * *

Naruto invites her to dinner a week later.

He’s a very good cook, which she didn’t expect. She finds out he had to learn as he got older, being an orphan with no one to cook for him.

Conversation is a little stilted at first, but he stays exuberant and between that and his sunny chakra she can’t help but relax.

He invites her to lunch with Sakura next week.

Suigetsu sarcastically asks her if she’s enjoying making friends and she reminds him who it was who got them a roof over their heads, because it sure wasn’t _him_. She doesn’t mention that she’s really starting to enjoy Naruto’s company. He’s _useful_. That’s all.

* * *

She thinks about her mom, sometimes. She had been too young to know much about her family tree. If they had a clan, it might’ve been dangerous to tell anyone. But it might’ve protected them. Karin dismisses all of this as wishful thinking. She doesn’t mention that she knew her mom to Naruto when he asks about her family.

* * *

Sakura is…impressive. She’s also stunningly pretty. She’s also not Naruto, and Karin knows she can’t get through this just by pretending to be an Uzumaki. When Karin stutters out something resembling an apology about the war, and the Eight-Tails, and…well, there’s a long list—Sakura and Naruto wave it off.

“New beginnings, right?” Sakura smiles gently at her. Karin nods and hopes for the sake of the village’s safety that all Konoha shinobi aren’t this trusting.

Sakura’s willing to let Karin come to the hospital and learn some more conventional healing techniques. Karin is told she could be a great medi-nin, could start a new life here, even if she wouldn’t be able to run missions for years, potentially. Naruto and Sakura deliver this last bit of news like it’s some great tragedy.

Karin doesn’t want to run missions. Karin wants to sleep for a week. Maybe six. And then she wants real medical training. Karin wants to remember what stability feels like.

* * *

Karin starts working at the hospital. She still hasn’t seen the Hokage. She doesn’t know if any of this is legal. But she’s getting paid and she has her own room and she gets to hang out in the staff room with Sakura, and she’s trying not to show that she’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She meets all sorts of people, and Naruto always introduces her as his cousin, which pretty much everyone is delighted by.

Sometimes Karin wants to scream, “I’m not who you think I am! I’m not an Uzumaki! I was on Team Taka! Or Hebi! Whatever! I’m a criminal! I’m wanted in multiple countries!”

She doesn’t. She keeps her head down.

* * *

The Team Taka reunion should be tense. It isn’t. Sasuke is holding a beer and Suigetsu slings an arm around his shoulder and says, “Hey, fearless leader! Didya know some of that stuff we did before the war—it was illegal? Can you believe it?”

Sasuke smirks and returns a wry, “Was it?”

Later on, he says “How have you guys been?” and Karin almost faints. Sasuke Uchiha, showing some level of care and/or concern for them? Have they checked if they’re in a genjutsu?

“Ah, Juugo’s been communing with nature. I got told I could make ANBU if I could pass a psych eval.”

Simultaneously, Sasuke and Karin deadpan, “You can’t.”

A scuffle ensues, while Juugo and Sasuke look on placidly.

Finally, they get to her. Suigetsu waves a dismissive hands and says, “Karin’s training at the hospital now. And she’s an Uzumaki now, just like your babysitter.”

Naruto has been assigned to watch Sasuke during his probation. He’s sitting on the porch to try and give them some space to catch up.

Sasuke turns to focus on her, interest obviously piqued. “Yeah, Naruto mentioned something like that to me. You never mentioned it,” he says.

Being an Uzumaki is her ticket to a new life. She tries to convey that he shouldn’t say anything implying otherwise to Naruto with a glare. It doesn’t look like he got the message, but then, he’s always been an expressionless asshole.

* * *

Ino invites her to a party on Friday which she describes as “to welcome Sasuke back, but that’s mostly an excuse to get drunk,” and Karin finds herself at a crowded local bar, sandwiched between Sakura and Ino as they gossip.

“Where is the man of the hour, anyway?”

“I bet you anything he’s making out with Naruto in whatever secluded corner he can find.”

Karin almost spits out her drink. “What?”

“I don’t know what happened between defeating Kaguya and releasing the Tsukuyomi, but ever since Sasuke was released they can’t keep their hands off one another,” Sakura says, rolling her eyes.

“But I thought—someone told me _you_ —and Sasuke—“

“Oh no, I um—that kinda died between the second and third time he tried to kill me.” Sakura laughs a little, and Karin tries not to stare at her smile.

“I used to like him, too,” she offers. 

Ino chimes in with a sly, “Maybe it’s genetic.”

Karin cringes. “Oh god, don’t say that.”

“I mean, you are Naruto’s cousin,” muses Ino, impish grin firmly in place.

“I mean, we don’t know how I’m related—“

“You know, I bet we could find out! Quick DNA testing at the hospital and bam! Solved!” Sakura bring her fist decisively to her palm, inspired.

“Oh, I don’t think—“ _Don’t panic Karin, don’t panic_.

“You’ll probably be somewhat distant cousins, but it’ll tell us more than we currently know! And I know Naruto’s been wanting to look into Uzushio’s history…” Sakura is a little tipsy and Ino is encouraging her and Karin doesn’t know what to do, she doesn’t, and…

“You— you really, don’t have to, it’s fi—“

“Nonsense! I’ll set it up for you on Monday.” 

* * *

On Saturday she spends the day with Naruto. He didn’t ask, but he accepts that she’s decided to stick to him like a burr that day without question. She pays for their lunch and goes grocery shopping with him even though she doesn’t need anything. It’s a vaguely hysterical last-ditch attempt to remind him that she’s nice, she _is_ , she can be nice!, and even if they aren’t related he should keep her around.

It’s only the next day that she realizes her mistake when Sasuke breaks into their house. He’s waiting for her at their rickety dining table.

Sasuke is a jealous bastard and for all of his ingenious strategy in battle, he’s got the emotional intelligence of a block of cement. She probably made Naruto late for a date with him yesterday or something equally ridiculous. Ah, well. May as well get it over with.

“No Naruto?”

“He’s asleep and I gave the ANBU the slip.”

Karin is not too surprised. She waits for him to tell her why he’s come here for _her_ , specifically.

“You bought Naruto lunch. And went shopping with him.”

“Yep.” She pops the ‘p’ just because she knows he’ll find it irritating.

“You’re likely distantly related.”

“Yeah, probably?” Where he’s going with this, she isn’t sure.

“I’m—with him.” Karin gapes and Sasuke stares at the whorls in the wooden table. She knows Sasuke has spent well over decade ignoring all emotions that weren’t rage and derision. Him expressing this _out loud, with his words,_ is the most shocking thing that’s happened to her in ages, and that includes all the fuckery that went down during the war.

He looks up to meet her eyes, his stare challenging. “Romantically.”

“I know?” She doesn’t know what else to say here. She talked to Sakura, his teammate, literally every day that she could. It was hard not to know.

Sasuke regards her quizzically. “You’re not…into him?”

Karin feels faint, and then indignant. “You think I’m _what_?”

“You bought him lunch,” Sasuke has moved from accusing to confused. _Block of cement_ , she reminds herself, taking a deep breath.

“Sasuke. I’m. Not. Into. Your. Boyfriend. I’m trying to save my own skin, here. I need to stay in his good books after Monday.” He doesn’t say anything, but waits for her to continue.

“I—I’m not an Uzumaki? As far as I know? But Naruto thinks so and I just…didn’t say anything, because he got us this house, and I’m allowed to work, and Sakura’s going to do a DNA test on Monday, so he’ll find out and…and…” She flounders for what she can say in the face of Sasuke’s impassive stare.

Sasuke stands up and says, “He won’t stop helping you. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

Later, Karin rages to Juugo that Sasuke doesn’t _get_ it, he’s got his legal status figured out, and plus what kind of idiot is he, thinking she wants his boyfriend when she’s doing _just fine_ with her unrequited crush on a certain pink-haired powerhouse, isn’t she?

Juugo doesn’t even blink at the revelation that she might not be an Uzumaki, and instead leans into her and says, “Sasuke will have Naruto take care of us.” It’s not particularly helpful.

* * *

On Monday Sakura cheerily swabs her cheek in the morning and Karin hopes she doesn’t blush.

She goes through her training and then subsequent rounds trying not to panic. At lunch Naruto shows up. “Sakura sent a runner for me! She’s got our results!” he exclaims, and drags her to Sakura’s office, all enthusiasm and smiles.

Naruto beams at Sakura, bouncing on his toes. Karin’s trying not to puke.

Sakura waves a thin folder at them. “Third cousins!”

At what seems like a thousand miles away, Naruto punches the air with a “Nice!” He starts to chatter about how he expected them to be farther relations and the sound gets farther and farther away.

Karin’s world has stopped.

_Third cousins_.

She has a _clan_.

She has _living family_.

She comes to and realizes she had sat down onto the tiled floor at some point. Sakura and Naruto are kneeling in front of her, peering at her with concern. Her vision is blurry and she vaguely registers that she’s crying.

“Karin?” Sakura takes the softest tone she can with her. Karin has heard her use it with spooked shinobi before.

Karin launches forward and hugs them both. She can’t stop her tears.

“Family. I have _family_.”

“Yeah!” wails Naruto, startling both women, and he bursts into noisy sobs and hangs onto her tightly. Karin laughs wetly, and then Sakura giggles, and they’re a mess, but it’s fine, because she’s _not alone_.

“Naruto,” she gets out, “tonight, I’ll tell you about my mom.”

* * *

Sasuke comes by a few nights later, sans Naruto.

“So I hear you’re an Uzumaki.” Anyone else would hear this said in monotone, but Karin has spent too long with him to not hear the underlying insufferable smugness.

“Yeah, yeah. Fuck off.”

“I knew.”

“You _what_?”

“Kabuto told me.”

“Holy shit.”

“And I told Naruto.”

“Fuck you. You can fuck _right_ off, you have no idea how worried I’ve been—” Sasuke interrupts her tirade before she can really hit her stride.

“Sakura’s bi _and_ single.”

“…I’m listening.”

At that moment, Naruto comes crashing through the front door, babbling about probations and yelling at Sasuke and the rest of the evening devolves into chaos.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the LLF Comment Project, which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:
> 
> Feedback
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Questions
>   * Constructive criticism
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Reader-reader interaction
> 

> 
> I reply to comments! You can sign your comment with "whisper" if you'd prefer that I not reply to you.
> 
> should i write a karin/sakura sequel where they get tg? i have 0 idea of how it would happen but mb i'll try
> 
> my tumblr is also thingsthatgetstuckindrawers


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